Home > Indian History > History of India > Black Hole Tragedy
Black Hole Tragedy
Black Hole Tragedy refers to a dungeon where numerous Britishers were incarcerated after Siraj-ud-daulah’s capture of Fort William in 1756.

Share this Article:

Black Hole Tragedy, Indian HistoryBlack Hole Tragedy is an incident that depicts the dark side of Indian History. On June 20, 1756, Siraj-ud-daulah, the then Nawab of Bengal, captured Fort William and Calcutta (Kolkata), wherein lied the main power of the British East India Company. The British and Anglo-Indian prisoners of war were thrust into a small and stuffy dungeon at Fort William after the fall of the fort, which is referred to as the "Black Hole of Calcutta". 146 people were reported to be imprisoned, of which only 23 men (including Holwell) came out alive.

The British claimed that the dungeon with a probable dimension of 24 feet by 18 feet was not spacious enough to accommodate so many people who were forcibly pushed into the congested place. The British records held that by the next morning 123 of the prisoners had succumbed to the adverse conditions, mainly due to suffocation, unbearable heat and crushing.

John Zephaniah Holwell of the British East India Company and one of the survivors of this tragedy mainly provided this statistical information. But some say that the total number of captives was not more than 69. The controversies about the exact toll continue till date and the exact figures are not known. The Black Hole of Calcutta was afterwards used as a warehouse, and an obelisk, 50 feet (15 m) high, was set up in remembrance of the dead. No traces of the black hole remain today.

Incident of the Black Hole of Calcutta
There is significant history behind the capture of Fort William and the incident of the Black Hole of Calcutta. The British set up Fort William to safeguard the British East India Company"s trade in the city of Calcutta in the region around Bengal. In 1756, with an aim to colonize Bengal and gradually the rest of India and also to be preparing for probable combats with the French forces, the British began strengthening the military defence of Fort William. In doing so, they interfered a lot into the internal political and military affairs of Bengal. The ruling Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, was unsatisfied with such excessive interference and saw it as a possible threat to the sovereignty of Bengal. He ordered the British to cease the ongoing military actions but the British did not listen to him. As a result, to curb the atrocities of the British, the Nawab of Bengal stormed the fort and killed many. The battalion"s chief officer planned an escape, and a token force was kept in the military fort under the control of John Zephaniah Holwell, who was a military surgeon as well as a top East India Company civil servant. In the meantime, the soldiers belonging to the allied troops, who were primarily Dutch abandoned the fight and the British ultimately failed to resist the attack of the Nawab.

Black Hole Tragedy, Indian HistoryIndian troops took the surviving defenders prisoner. Among the prisoners were civilians as well as soldiers. Holwell and three other captives were sent as prisoners to Murshidabad, the rest of the survivors were released after the interference and subsequent victory of Robert Clive. A few months later, Robert Clive and his troops were sent to "retaliate". They fought the Battle of Plassey and defeated the Nawab. This marked the foundation of the British rule in India.

Black Hole Monument
John Zephaniah Holwell had erected a memoriam on the spot of the Black Hole of Calcutta to honour the dead, but around 1822 (the precise date is uncertain) it vanished. Lord Curzon, who became Viceroy of India in 1899, constructed a new monument in 1901 at the corner of Dalhousie Square, which is the probable site of the Black Hole. During 1940, when the Indian National movement was at its peak, the epitaph was removed from Dalhousie Square and again established in the graveyard of St John"s Church, where it remains till date.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.